I Cannot Cry Anymore
by nothingtoseehere-closed
Summary: -SasuHina NaruHina- Sasuke U. is captured.Hinata H. is in charge of guarding Sasuke. Naruto confesses. Kiba seems to be the only remedy for Hinata's heart-ache. What emotions lurk beneath the surface of these men? Which will take the fragile girl's heart?
1. Prisoner

-I accidentally deleted it... Idiot me. I apologize for any confusion. And I am working on the newest chapter and shall prevail with it hopefully within the next three days. I look forward to reviews, good or bad, so please post a comment. Oh! I also do not own any of these characters! I bid you adew.-

Hinata dangled her feet over the edge of the water. She looked up at the cloudy sky, recalling brilliant memories. Naruto smiled as he introduced the beautiful boy. Hinata's knees felt weak around Naruto, but the boy with hair to color that of a raven shocked her so much that she could barely breathe.

She remembered his name and mouthed it slowly till her voice kissed the air, her face turning pink,

"Sa-su-ke," She whispered. She wasn't used to this name and found that it tasted difficult. She felt more comfortable calling Naruto's name.

Kiba's loud snore broke her delicate daze and she turned her head to glance upon her snoozing comrade. Akamaru slept at his side, teething on a massive limb that had falling three days ago during a storm. She inhaled, tugging on the soft blades of grass at her sides with her fingers.

An insect buzzed past her face and another landed on her nose. She looked around for him, almost panicking. Had Shino heard her? She squinted as she saw a shadow pressed against the tree.

"Shino!" She called, "Umm, please come out from behind there." Shino obeyed her. He stepped out and the sunlight touched him, marking his cool presence with the gist of light.

"Hinata," Shino said strictly, "He is a traitor. You love Naruto, not him. Focus." Hinata's pink face turned scarlet.

"N-no! It isn't like that! I like Naruto too, but…" She turned her head in frustration.

Shino was rather talkative today, "…But you can't stop thinking about him. You assume that he may change if you talk to him, right?" Hinata's ashamed nod answered and then he continued, "Are you stupid. He almost killed Naruto and ran away with Orochimaru. He will never come back."

Hinata stressed, "B-but if I try I might be abl-"

Shino snapped, "With what self-esteem?" The bug launched from Hinata's nose and journeyed off towards Shino, "You can't even raise your voice at me!" Kiba's snoring stopped and he glared into the grass.

"Sasuke Uchiha-Kun again, huh?" He asked, "Hinata… You should listen to Shino. He really knows what he's talking about."

"I-I know, sorry." Hinata stood up. She had promised herself not to cry, but she couldn't help it.

Kiba stood up and hurried to aid her. He was good at drying her tears. As Akamaru, he was loyal, his touch, tender. His strong arms reached out to her and pulled her to her feet.

He pressed his chest against hers and knelt, lending her his shoulder. One of his strong arm's pressed her tighter to himself and the other stroked her long hair. She whimpered, reaching her arms around his back and clutching the fabric of his hoodie with her fingers.

She could el his breath on her neck. This was the ultimate comfort. Kiba knew this was what she wanted and became motionless except for the rising and falling of his chest as he inhaled and exhaled.

"K-kiba," She stuttered, no longer fighting her tears.

Kiba's voice was soft, "I'm sorry Hinata, I'm sorry." His words tangled into her mind.

"Kiba," Shino said, turning, "If you keep doing that every time I scold her, she'll never learn anything."

Kiba flinched and let go of Hinata, pushing away from her. She dried her tears with her sleeve. She watched sadly as Kiba lumbered away with Shino at his side.

She turned to face the water, inhaling. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps there would be no way in Sasuke returning home.

"Hinata-Chan!" A loud voice called. Ino came up, panting.

"Lady Tsunade told me to tell you that you have guard duty tonight. Cell D-14. Alright?" She stared Hinata in the eye causing Hinata to flinch away.

"Y-yes." She said.

"Apparently, Naruto-Kun is bringing in a new prisoner…" Ino turned, "That kid, I don't know why you like him. He's always playing the hero." She glanced at Hinata and then scurried away.

Hinata waved to Ino, before taking a painful stride down to the prison.

~O~

-At prison-

"Cell D-14, Cell D-14…" Hinata repeated over and over as she walked through the stone paved halls of the prison and stopped before the metal cell, bolted with chains. Naruto was leaning against the door, talking. He said no word to Hinata, but continued to speak through the door.

"I didn't want you to break our bond." Naruto said, not even noticing Hinata. Hinata wanted to cover her ears, she didn't like to intrude. She couldn't say anything, she was afraid to anger Naruto.

She couldn't hear the voice beyond the door, but Naruto continued to speak, "I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to me again… Sasuke." Hinata went cold. Her heart thudded in her chest rapidly. She replayed every syllable in her mind over and over as she had done earlier, rewinding Naruto's words as if she had recorded them, 'Sa-su-ke'.

"Sa-Sa… Sa-su-" Naruto's attention snapped to Hinata. She nearly fell over, and struggled to cower away from his eyes.

His expression shifted into something softer and he shouted through the door, "Sorry Sasuke! I have to go now! I'll visit you tomorrow, okay?" He rose and walked towards Hinata, he grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear,

"Don't tell anyone Sasuke is here. If you do, I'll never forgive you. There are a lot of people who would want to hurt him still, Sakura-Chan doesn't even know yet." Hinata nodded, swallowing down her fear.

Naruto nodded, "He's a good guy, please don't be mad at him." Naruto surprised her. He leaned even closer and planted a kiss on her cheek. Scarlet faced, he walked away. Hinata watched his back fade into the winding corridors and out of sight.

She touched her cheek, her vision blurring. She spoke,

"Naruto-kun… He k-kissed me!" The shock paralyzed her until she heard a loud slam against the wall of Sasuke's cell.

Sasuke's voice had deepened since the last time she had heard it, "Dammit!" His voice was cruel and sad. She couldn't pity him, nor flinch away. This was her chance to speak with him.

"A-ano," She said, raising his voice, "A-are you alright S-Sasuke-San?" She spoke formally, afraid to offend him. His answer shocked her,

"Is that Hinata-kun?" He asked from behind the door.

"Y-yes!" Hinata said, stepping closer, "Umm, You are Sasuke-San, right?" She asked, confirming his identity.

Sasuke's voice became harsher, "What's it to you? You shouldn't care." He sounded bored and angered.

"H-how is your cell? How big is it?" She started conversation.

Sasuke's back hit the door and he leaned against it from the other side, "It 'really small, and I can't see anything." Hinata touched the door,

"Is that s-so? If you want, I could request a better cell for you. I'm sure Hokage-Sama would allow it, ano, for you Sasuke-kun."

"Don't bother," Sasuke said, "It doesn't matter how big the cell is."

Hinata accepted fate, "I could try to get you into a more private prison, ano, we have a-about three that my family has direct access to. You would have a light and a nice bed."

Sasuke didn't reply. Hinata spoke once more,

"I'm sorry. It's so late. I shouldn't bother you. Ano, g-good night Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke did not say anything, and the prison grew quiet. Hinata wanted to cry. She wanted Kiba's strong arms to soothe her once more.

Time went by, and Hinata whimpered alone in shame, she had offended him, she didn't mean to, but she had.

Footsteps grew closer down the hallway Hinata inhaled, recognizing the familiar chakra of her first love, Naruto. Upon seeing her, his face turned pink.

He spoke, rather sheepishly, "Oi, Hinata-Chan, I'll take over here. You go get some rest. Granny Tsunade put me in charge of him."

Hinata fought her shame and said as best she could, "Ano, c-could I talk t-to Hokage-Sama about moving Sasuke-San to a private cell that m-my Clan owns?"

Naruto smiled, "You're the best Hinata-Chan!" He gave her his legendary thumbs up. Delight filled Hinata's cheeks.


	2. Talk of Revenge

-Sorry that it's late. I had so many ideas on what to do. So, here is what I did; Sasuke's cell has already been moved and Hinata is on duty. Sasuke now has a cell that has a cage-like door, so he can make eye contact and see. I really do apologize for this chapter's delay-

Why was Sasuke glaring at her so intently? What had she done to cause him such anger? She flinched under his glare, her heart burning with its own little torment. She clasped the fabric over her heart, which continued to burn. she couldn't touch her gaze to his for the life of her, nor would she dare to try.

"S-sorry." She said, lowering her eyes to the ground, "I-I know I-I'm not a very g-good warden." she didn't feel a change in the glare which bore into her as a dagger.

"Hinata," Sasuke said, she could feel the anger and poison project itself at her through his lips which took pride in phasing every syllable to show the discontent.

"Y-yes Sasuke-S-san?" She lowered her gaze further to the cement flooring.

Sasuke sighed which puzzled her, then he finally opened his mouth and let his words take life, "What do you think of revenge? Are you against it like the other Bakas are?" His question was even more puzzling.

Hinata took a moment to analyze his words, his speech patterns and tone. Her face reddened and she felt foolish that she wasn't paying attention to the question he had directed at her. She took a moment longer to think of her answer before looking up into his eyes.

His gaze forced the timid answer to be breathed into the air, his eyes of red haunted her. She was now trapped and would be forced to do whatever he wished of her. As of now, she assumed if she answered not to his tastes, then she would securely suffer, but her answer came out as honest as when she had thought it.

"I b-believe in revenge," Hinata said, almost panting for air, "W-without revenge, murder would be meaningless. If N-Naruto-Kun or you, Sasuke-San,were killed, or any of my special people, I-I would want to watch the man die. Ano, I would even kill them if needed be."

Her answer satisfied his hunger and his red eyes softened, but still held her own, scanning for any trace of deceit from her. she flinched upon his eyes, but eased into his stare, her face turning a bashful red.

Sasuke's eyes scoured her face once more, then released her. He didn't turn his head. Hinata was silent, waiting against the uncomfortable silence for his response, no matter how cruel.  
>He closed his eyes, "Baka, you look like a tomato." Hinata flinched, his response sounded almost friendly. She touched her hands to her hot face. she glanced back at Sasuke who was now intently staring at her.<p>

"A-ano, Sasuke-San. A-Are you mad at me?" Hinata asked, cowering back a bit.

Sasuke gave her a small smile and a partial chuckle. Hinata's confused look pried the words out,

"Baka Hinata," He said, then he cleared his throat, "You may be stupid, but I need someone to talk to. It's so quiet here that I get annoyed."

Hinata smiled, "O-okay Sasuke-San!" Her face still burned hotly, but the burning in her chest was eased. Her stomach though, was knotting from the sheer pleasure of being near him.  
>~o~<p>

-Walking back home with Naruto-

Walking with Naruto was always one of the things she loved to do. Naruto was so laid back and nice. He always spoke of his dreams and told her of how well his training was going. She felt as if she could listen for him forever. He never stopped talking unless she spoke up. she always had someone who would listen to her and who she could listen to.

"Hinata-Chan, is Sasuke-Kun being nice to you?" Naruto asked her, "I mean, he isn't bullying you at all?"

Hinata didn't need to take a moment for her answer. With a pink face she replied, "He's been very nice to me. W-what about you Naruto-Kun?"

Naruto frowned, "He isn't talking to me. He almost ignores me completely. I don't understand why he is being such a jerk." Realizing the situation's mood he avoided talking about himself and focused on the timid Hinata, "He likes you a lot more than me right now. I envy you Hinata." To that, Hinata's face turned bright red.

She slapped her hands against her cheeks and laughed nervously, "Ano, N-Naruto-Kun. Sasuke-San talks about you." she watched Naruto's mood shift and how easily she put a smile on his face with words alone.

"Really?" Naruto became excited, but tried to keep cool, "...So, what does he say?"

Hinata chuckled, "He calls you 'Baka' a lot. I think he really does care for you Naruto-Kun!" She loved talking so casually with him that she lost her stutter temporarily. His smile melted her heart.

"I guess I'm a baka." He walked ahead of her and then turned, smiling, "Baka-Baka-Baka~," He eased all her worries.

"Heh heh, Silly N-naruto-Kun." Naruto and her had another good laugh and then Naruto astonished her as they stood on her doorstep. Her stomach twisted as he leant forward and pressed his lips to her cheek once more. As her knees gave out beneath her and her vision started to blur, Naruto wrapped her into a tight hug, constricting her torso.

Her face couldn't get any hotter. She lifted her arms slowly, extending them in the hopes to embrace him, but she dropped her arms. Naruto nuzzled his nose into her neck, sending a flash of heat throughout her body.

"Na-Na-" Naruto broke her meager attempt at a confession,

"Thank you, Hinata-Chan. I want you to know that I'll do anything in my power to help you out. No matter what. your important to me... Hinata-Chan." His words were almost muffled against her throat. That was it. She went blank. It was as if someone shut the lights off. The last sound she heard was her cousin Neji and Naruto's voices bickering over what had happened.

Her ears grew silent and her thoughts stopped, filling her with a peace. She waited, unable to open her eyes, but at the same time not wanting to. She felt the life twitch back into her fingers and up her arms. She felt it twitch up her toes and legs. She waited for the life to cloud into her mind. Her shallow breathing became irregular and her eyelids begged to move. She granted their wish and opened her eyes.

Her room was empty. Well, all except for Neji silently looming in the corner. She closed her eyes, already grasping the picture of what she would find. Her bed, upon which she was resting was against the right corner of the wall, opposing the door. Under the bed were two cushions for sitting and a chest of weapons. Across from the foot of her bed was her dresser, which Neji was most likely leaning against. On that dresser was a comb and a few hair accessories that she never bothered to wear. Next to that dresser was a mirror.

"You up?" Neji asked, no respect as usual.

Hinata sat up, "Y-yes. Sorry you had to carry me." She watched as Neji's expected glare struck her.

"I don't understand how foolish you are." Neji scolded, "You leave yourself so vulnerable. You simply cannot fathom what could have happened to you. You are a woman. Do you understand how vulnerable that can leave you?" Hinata shriveled back, wanting to pull the covers over her head.

"I'm sorry! I'm Sorry, N-Neji-Kun!" Hinata apologized.

"Don't think that men wont take advantage of your body. Hinata, you have to understand." Neji forced. Hinata felt the tears well up in her eyes. She savagely began wiping them away, before Neji plunged back into the lecture on the frailties and vulnerabilities of women.


	3. Discussions

-I couldn'thelp but think as I hurried to get you this chapter that I am just dragging this on. When I consulted one of my friends about it, she said that I should aproach it slowy and just keep nudging it along. I plan to follow his advice. If there are any spelling issues I must alert you that my microsoft does not work anymore so it isn't as good. If there are any problems I wish for you to comment please. I hope you enjoy this chapter as you have the last and read on till the end with me! Ooh~ I'm so excited!-

Neji's lecture had left her exhausted. She didn't know what to do. It wasn't her fault that she had fainted. This time her passing out was provoked.

She struggled on, feeling as a crippled maid. She felt heavy, as if something was weighing her down, but she knew there was nothing. Shino stood at her side, matching her stride, pacing himself. Kiba and Akamaru pressed on ahead. She wanted to be able to talk to her sensei, but her sensei was no longer her sensei, and she was alone on this mission with two men who wouldn't grasp her troubles.

Hinata restlessly tugged on the bottom hem of her hoody. Her light lavender eyes ached from lack of sleep.

Shino spoke, "Hinata, are you alright?" Kiba stopped and turned, causing Hinata to flinch. Kiba spoke before Hinata had time to respond to Shino's words,

"If you want, I don't think Akamaru would mind carrying you on his back. You could get some sleep and we could travel faster." His words came out harsher than they were meant to be.

"N-No thank you Kiba-Kun. I-I can walk f-faster. I don't want to be a burden." She hastened her pace.

Shino broke her focus, "You shouldn't push yourself. The more you strain your body, the less useful you are to the team. Hinata, you are an important part here. Be careful." Hinata tried to pull herself together, but unraveled.

She gasped, fighting tears. she didn't want to be so weak. She didn't. She extended her hands out before her and found Kiba's warmth. Then, of course, the tears followed shortly behind. She sniffled as Kiba accepted her embrace. Crying out Kiba's shoulder was always the best thing for her. She was so confused, her security blanket was now the ultimate comfort.

"Shh," Kiba soothed, "Don't cry Hinata-Chan. I'm here, I'm here." He swayed were they stood in an attempt to cradle her as if she were an infant.

~O~

-Naruto-

He walked along the dirt path, his face burning in recollection of the day before, of Hinata. He hadn't meant to press his feelings on her so forcefully. He didn't mean to hug her like that, or confide in her his true feelings for her.  
>"Naruto! Baka~" Sakura called out in an almost good mood, "What ya doing?" She waved to him and waited till red faced Naruto joined him.<p>

Sakura stared at him, an awkward silence emanated from the two before Sakura spoke "Hey, Naruto," She said, "Why is your face so red? You have a fever or something?"

Naruto chuckled sheepishly, "Eh, You could say that. But, um, don't worry it's nothing." He attempted to make eye contact, and to his avail, held her gaze.

Sakura playfully punched his arm, "Baka, you hardly ever gent sick."

"Yeah, I guess your right. I think I caught this from Hinata-Chan." He grinned.

Sakura was pretty dense. But, she understood fairly well and punched his arm once more, smiling encouragingly.

"Baka Naruto-Kun! Don't give up!" There was a sort of sadness in her eyes. Was she thinking of Sasuke?

She lifted her eyes to the sky and then back to Naruto's face, "So, you like her right? What kind of girl is she really? I don't get to talk to her all that much."

Naruto sighed, " She's really nice, but sort of a pushover. I don't think she really likes me, but she works really hard, harder than I do. All she wants is to be strong. Someday, when I'm Hokage, she wont have to be strong. I'll be able to protect her." Sakura's eyes widened and then relaxed.

"Don't let Kiba-Kun steal her away!" Sakura laughed.

Naruto's face flushed and his heart beat raced. He was almost trembling when he replied,

"K-Kiba would steal her from me?" to his dismay Sakura nodded,

"Idiot, you didn't know that? I bet that her and Kiba have already-" Her face turned the most crimson of reds and she covered her nose,

"Sorry Naruto-Kun. I gotta go now." She turned and waved, "Good luck Lover-boy!"

She left Naruto feeling lost and more confused than ever.

He mumbled to himself, "What have Hinata-Chan and Kiba already done?" He wondered this for many minutes, but his pondering yielded no answers. He wandered around aimlessly in hopes of his fair maiden's swift return.

~O~

-Hinata-

She ended up weighing down the mission, which was to capture a rouge ninja from the land of fire and then deliver him. She fought, but very little, besides, Shino and Kiba were strong enough to wipe out the enemy without too much of a struggle.

She deflected kunai and shuriken with ease, but her mind circled around Naruto. She forced a gentle wave of Chakra into her palms and sprung it forward into the abdomen of her victim.

The blonde haired man flew back, catching his chakra embedded feet on the ground. Crippled by her blow, he clutched his pained stomach, wiping a fresh trail of blood off his mouth. But, he didn't have time to relax, because soon after, Akamaru pounced at the man, causing him to lunged up into the air as the rocks beneath shifted with the beast's weight. Kiba lunged from a tree, wrapping the crippled man in a tight bear-hug, wrestling him back to the dirt.

Hog-tying the man, Kiba looked around desperately to find her. Hinata was already crouched down, preparing for a struggle, kunai in hand. She had good aim with the kunai, but lacked the strength to truly hit the target with the force Neji did. Shino had a fiercer throw than she did as well.

Kiba ran up to her, Akamaru carrying the struggling captive by a rope hanging in his mouth. The man whimpered and Akamaru placed him at Kiba's feet, expecting to play a game of "fetch".

"You were great Hinata-Chan!" Kiba said enthusiastically, "I bet Naruto-Kun will be proud when he hears about this." In mention of Naruto's name, Hinata's vision blurred and her stomach felt as if there were one thousand butterflies fluttering about. She blushed and swayed in place for a moment, fighting for balance which she clearly lacked.

Shino turned to Kiba, "It seems that Naruto has taken Hinata as his lover." Hinata's face was scolding hot and she shook her head opening her mouth to speak and protest against the absurd heart racing words of Shino.

"W-wha?" Kiba said, his face turning a light shade of pink, "Is that true Hinata-Chan?" Hinata felt the tears coming again, the last thing she had wished for was Kiba suspecting her.

"I-I don't know!" Hinata cried honestly, admitting her true feelings.

Kiba reached out to embrace Hinata and comfort her, but Shino and approached Hinata. He removed his sunglasses for but a moment and glared at her as sternly as her possibly could, knocking her back to her senses, his hazel eyes burned a hole through her soul. She whimpered, pulling back the pieces of her shield that she had covering her heart. She adjusted her posture and let the sun kiss her face.


	4. Strength

-Came out fast! I rushed through so many drafts of this and polished it up nice and shiny! Please enjoy! Again, I apologize for any typos I have NOOO spellcheck and have to sit there with the dictionary and pen and edit it with my friend-

The long walk back home after the mission was complicated with such tense emotions swirling in the atmosphere around them. However when she arrived at the village, she noticed a faded white t-shirt speeding up to her.

Naruto waved and instantly reached out to enfold her in a hug. Hinata flinched so he dropped his arms to his side, looking past her shoulder at Kiba. Hinata could hear Kiba's breath, judging by how loud and fast it was, Kiba was irritated. She turned her head to look at him, but when she turned he had already plastered on a smile, welcoming Naruto into conversation.

Naruto ignored Kiba and his attention was drawn to Hinata's face. Hinata now faced him, staring into his blue eyes, almost attempting to wince away, but she found escape impossible.

"Welcome back!" Naruto said enthusiastically.

Hinata dropped into a slight bow, "G-good to be back, Na-Naruto-Kun." She lifted her head to glance at him, but found his hand extended to her. She took his hand with hers and squeezed slightly as he eagerly shook hers.

Kiba shuffled out from behind Hinata, muttered a, 'C-ya later!' and then, followed by Akamaru, walked solemnly to his home, Shino followed his example and also departed off to his own home as well.

"Hinata-Chan!" Naruto said, his smile melting her heart. She couldn't make eye contact anymore so decided to stare at his forehand to at least feign strength.

"How'd you do?" Naruto asked, his face turning pink, "I-I mean on the mission!"

Hinata smiled, her face redder than Naruto's, "Ano, It went very well. We received a nice enough reward so that I could by groceries for my whole Clan for at least a week if needed be."

Naruto said, "No, you should buy yourself something nice Hinata-Chan, you work so hard!"

Hinata's face turned a even darker shade, "N-No no, Naruto you've got it all wrong. There isn't anything I want." But, that wasn't what she was thinking. Hinata had a whole list of things she wanted. She wanted Naruto's affection, and she wanted her first kiss to be Naruto's as well. She longed for him to achieve his dreams and be friends with Sasuke once again.

"Then, Hinata," Naruto said, "I-I think I'll bring you back a present or something from my next mission." Hinata's eyes widened, her heart's beating hastened, and her face was the color of a tomato!

"You shouldn't be so kind. I'm prac-practically useless." She confessed.

Naruto's eyes were serious, "I want to get you a gift, Hinata. I have to leave in two days." Naruto reached out, patting her head, messing up her hair. He turned and left her where she stood.

~0~

-With Sasuke-

Sasuke's eyes pierced her, welcoming her into his humbly concrete abode. She nodded and sat in the nearest chair off towards to exit, nodding in Sasuke's direction.

"Where were you?" Sasuke asked, sounding annoyed, perhaps he was.

Hinata winced. She hadn't been a very good friend. She shook her head to clear her mind.

"I-I," She paused, "I-I didn't mean to leave with-without telling you. Ano, I-I had a mission." She looked to the floor, ashamed.

Sasuke chuckled grimly, "Wasn't that rude of you?" She looked up at him pleadingly, wishing for every fiber of chakra in her body that she could make it up to him.

He spoke, "I want a favor," the cruelty in his voice scarred her, yet she nodded nonetheless.

"What's going on out there? I enjoy living in this comfortable claustrophobia, but I guess I'm curious."

Hinata fought her tears, but proceeded to speak, "Konoha is teeming with life and happiness. we haven't had too many problems and relations with other villages is prosper-" Sasuke cut her off,

"I see, and what of you?" His eyes pried open her mind and her mouth flooded with words she had yet to speak. she sort of gushed out all her emotions at once, throwing her hardships in his face for him to analyze and criticize.

"I-I'm... I'm sad! No, confused. I-I don't know what I am anymore." She shook her head, meeting his gaze, "Naruto-Kun and Kiba-Kun are acting funny! and Naruto... He... He is trying to buy me things! He k-ki-kissed me!" She paused to shake her head in distress, hugging her waist. she looked up at Sasuke who was ready for another helping of 'Hina-Chan madness'.

She inhaled and then continued rather shakily, "A-and th-then Negi-Kun scolded me saying that women a-are weak." she looked up at him once more for his opinion.

He spoke, "I disagree with Negi. You work very hard for Naruto. You held together when Naruto fell apart himself."

Hinata glared at him, feeling the tears slide down her cheeks, "No, I'm a cry-crybaby. I use Kiba-Kun to wipe awa-away my tears!"

"Someone must wipe away the tears." His voice was gentle, yet as firm as when she had first met him.

He stood up and started to make his way towards the edge of his cell, leaning his hands against the bars so she may see him better and he her as well.

She felt an urge to go to him so he may dry her tears, but she remembered he was a lethal man. He could even kill her with his eyes alone.

"Come here." He said, reaching out one of her hands, "... I won't hurt you, you can have faith in me." Hinata stood and had stepped forward like an innocent lamb ignorant to the butcher before her.

"I-I have to get stronger!" she shouted through her tears. Sasuke extended his other arm out to her and pulled her against the bars into a hug.

Confused, Hinata tried to push away, but Sasuke's grip got tighter.

Cry," He said, "You will never get stronger if you bottle it up. I had to cry at the begining. If I kept it inside I would never have become as strong as I am now."

Hinata whimpered, nodding. She could feel the strength radiating through the muscles in his arms that bound her against the bars of his cell. She could feel his breath and the beating of his heart which was slow and steady.

She surrendered and leaned against the bars, sobbing into his shoulder. When she felt her tears slow, she almost wanted to produce more so she could just inhale the scent off his skin, but then, her tears completely stopped.

Sasuke pushed her back, emotionlessly looking into her eyes, "See, you have become stronger already." He smiled faintly, "You have very admirable strength, Hinata. No wonder Naruto is so find of you." Hinata gave him a confused look as Sasuke released her.

She looked around, trying to see if her strength really had increased, she heard Sasuke mutter 'Baka' under his breath when she began to check her muscles. She smiled with an almost confidence.

As she began to leave, she asked him, "Sasuke, what do you like to eat?"

Sasuke replied with less venom in his voice than usual, "I hate Miso and sweets, anything besides that I'll eat."

"O-okay, I'll make you a Bento as 'Thanks'." She smiled, "I'll be stronger!"

She opened The door and walked out into what had seemed to be a brighter world, even in the darkest of the night.


	5. Promise

Her face turned bright pink as Naruto did the unexpected once again by planting a kiss on her red cheek. She stuttered, holding fast to her consciousness, passing him a Bento lunch for his trip and wishing him a thousand doses of luck as he departed, but not after he hugged her.

"B-bye-Bye Naruto-kun!" She shouted, frazzled by Naruto's lovey-dovey attack.

sSe turned around, checking once more if she had given him the correct Bento lunch, fishing through her bag.

She had given Naruto the correct lunch, now she was off the visit Sasuke and sit down to eat together.

-With Sasuke-

She opened the heavy steel door and entered, it quickly slammed behind her. She walked in half panting from the grueling door. She smiled politely and nodded her head. She was welcomed with the usual glare.

"Want to eat together today?" She asked. Sasuke didn't respond. she approached the bars of his cell and sat before them, pulling out a tea thermos, cups, Sasuke's bento, Her own bento. and two small mats for them to eat upon.

Sasuke came and sat by the bars as well, not knowing how to react to such a situation. Hinata smiled, passing him his mat. He took it and placed it before him, she did the same with hers, pressing it up against the bars.

Sasuke didn't seem pleased with the separate mats, but Hinata had been prepared. She quickly pulled two safety pins out of her bag and reached past the bars, pulling his mat a bit closer so that it touched corners with her's. She pinned the corners together and watched as Sasuke gave off a faintly satisfied look.

Her face turned pinkish as she smiled with her shy pride. She passed him his bento and poured his tea, also passing that through the bars.

Sasuke opened the bento with little hesitation. He smirked upon sight of her cooking skill. He saw the carefully packed onigiri(rice balls) and the rabbit apple slices, and the octopus shaped sausages. He looked rather pleased with her work.

She could feel her heart racing, she looked at him. He savored each bite of her cooking, only making her face heat up more.

She felt as if her heart was to burst, but she didn't know how to react.

As soon as they had finished eating, she poured Sasuke another cup of tea and passed it to him. Instead of taking it from her hand, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. She crashed against the bars gasping. with one arm, Sasuke held her, with the other, he turned her head towards him.

"Sto-Stop!" She protested, but again. She was pulled closer. Sasuke pressed his forehand against hers as she dropped the tea. The tea slipped from her fingers, but landed neatly on the ground, not a single droplet spilled.

Sasuke's sweet breath hit her face. She pulled back, and he let her. Sasuke took his tea and adjusted his posture as if nothing had happened.

He spoke "Go home Hinata, you have a fever." He closed his eyes, masking the existence of an emotion that she couldn't quite read.

He glanced at her, "You should go home and rest. Come see me when you are feeling better." She frowned, but stood. Sasuke finished his tea an then helped her collect her things, unhooking the pins from the mats. He attempted to give her the one she had passed to him earlier, but she had him keep it for future use. As soon as he things were gathered, she struggled to open the door.

She shivered. Squinting against the cold. The bushes rustled behind her, and she flinched after a moment of delay. Had Sasuke noticed how she could not function properly? She had to hurry and get home.

"Hey," A grim voice called out from behind her.

She dropped the bag, slowly turning to face Kiba's stern glare. Kiba spoke, his voice had hardened.

"Your face is really red." She winced.

"A-Ano, I have a-a-" he spoke, silencing her.

His glare narrowed. He knew something she had tried so hard not to let him know. She gasped and took a step back, almost admitting weakness.

"You smell funny." Kiba said, "If I recall the last time I smelled that scent around here was four years ago." That was right. Sasuke had been gone for four years now.

"Kiba-K-kun," Hinata stuttered. she took another step back, but he had already leapt down from the tree and stood before her his eyes terrifying.

"You reek of his scent. It's all I can smell." Kiba said, stepping closer to her. Hinata tried to step back, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her to him.

She didn't cry out or fight him like she should of. She didn't want Sasuke to hear her weakness.

"I know you love him, but what the hell are you doing? Sneaking away to be with him! what does he force you to do in there?"

Hinata couldn't open her mouth to speak till he began to shake her, "H-he never hurt me! H-he's nice t-to me."

Kiba's grip tightened around her arms and she whimpered.

"I wont let him have you! He can't have you! No one can except for me!" He shook her

some more.

Tiny droplets of rain began to fall, and Kiba jerked Hinata in one direction, forcing her to run with him. She could barely keep up. They had been running for what seemed to be hours. When they stopped, she was trembling. Her breath was hard.

Kiba turned on her, pushing her onto the damp ground beneath the tree. She cried out as he threw himself on top of her. his hand bitterly covered her mouth. she couldn't use violence against him, even as tears streamed down her face along with tiny water droplets.

Kiba leant down, his chest pressing against hers. He spoke,

"Hinata, I want to be with you forever. Hinata, please grant me one wish." He pressed his lips to hers and she began to push him. He wouldn't budge and leaned in deeper to the kiss. He pulled back, staring into her heartbroken eyes,

"Love me. Love only me. Be mine right now."

Hinata shrieked at the loss of her first kiss, she began striking him,but he still didn't move.

"No!" She cried as he sat on her stomach, his fingers hastily unzipping her lavender parka. Shock flooded her system. This was really happening, this wasn't a freak nightmare. This was real... and she never deserved anything like this.

She felt the pressure of his body on her abdomen. She whimpered, trying to push him away again. Her strength deteriorated. She screamed out for someone to help her, but the one who had always helped her the most was the one on top of her.

"Hinata," Kiba said after he forced another kiss, "I love you. Can you say that to me? Please?" he spoke as if he had done nothing wrong.

He attempted to cover her mouth again, and she bit down unto his hand so hard that his blood washed down her face mixing with her tears.

Kiba kissed her once more, his tongue dancing about the inside of her mouth, his bleeding hand covering her mouth again.

She tried to force her now free hands to push him away as he peeled away her soaking clothing. He struggled to secure her once again before he gave her the worst pain she had ever experienced in a place she had never thought could bring such pain.

She screamed at the loss of her proudest most prized possession that she bore with such grace, but had no energy to fight any more. She had to bare with it. Begging him to stop. Telling him that she would forgive him if he stopped. Force-feeding him the truth of all would be treated as normal if he just let go and left now.

After he was finished with her, relishing his victory, he forced Hinata into another kiss. Hinata had no choice to accept the hard kiss, but she never kissed him back. He fell asleep in the grass next to her, breathing heavy. He looked innocent, but he had just taken two things that she could never get back no matter how hard she could ever try. She didn't know if she could ever forgive him.

She cried, but no more tears could escape. She held her hands to her lips, still in shock and feeling sore. Silently and shakily, she pulled back on her jeans and parka and set out from under the tree into the rain.

She didn't know where to go, but she shuffled on. If she went to Negi she would be scolded. He knew she should probably go home or to the hospital where she would be safe, but there was no where. Naruto wasn't there for her, and if she couldn't trust Kiba, why should she trust Shino?

One foot before the other, she shuffled on, her bare feet squishing against the ground. She swayed as a drunkard and her vision blurred so that she didn't even understand where her feet were leading her anymore. She walked endlessly, her legs numb.

Her weak fingers clasped a strong iron or steel handle, she fell unto the door, it opened with ease, and as she fell into the room, the door slammed behind her as she struggled to crawl forward.

She didn't want to move, the floor felt so nice. She heard an enraged shouting, but refused to open her eyes. soon she heard the growl of bending of Iron bars and felt warm hands lifting her off the concrete floor.

She whimpered as she felt the soaking wet Parka, the only cover for her naked breasts, being pulled off. she heard him speak, cursing under his breath. Next, her pants were removed and swapped out with a different, warmer pair that was dry. She was covered with a blanket. She opened her eyes to looking into Sasuke's face as he stroked his fingers through her hair.

"It's okay." He said as Hinata's lip started to quiver, "You can sleep. I promise I won't leave you. I'll be right here." She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his hand which now gently clasped her own. She knew he could see the blood smeared on her cheek.

Hinata couldn't speak, but somehow Sasuke knew what she wanted, for he began to hum a lullaby, calming her nerves. She fell into the tune, losing herself in his voice. Strong, low, warm. Such a beautiful voice, so kind.

She shivered, recalling the events that had just taken place. She felt a scream start to escape her lips. But, then she remembered that it wasn't Kiba's hand that held hers or stroked her hair. It wasn't Negi, nor Shino, nor Naruto. This hand belonged to someone who was there at that moment. Someone who comforted her without even having speaking.

She finally found her voice, which had been stored deep within her throat, within her stomach, within her soul it was blocked of through terror.

"Sa-Sasu-" Sasuke interrupted her, cooing softly, "Don't stress yourself. I promise to listen no matter what." He listened even as Hinata took a moment to start speaking, his eyes focused on her face.

"I-I can't go ho-home. He'll fi-find me." Sasuke's eyes widened, blazing with anger, but even though he was trembling with rage, he listened.

"H-he... made me c-c-cry." She weakly reached out to calm him, reaching so far that she began to think she would to touch the heavens, Sasuke's hand still clutched hers.

Sasuke's face began to contort with his rage, "WHO DID THIS?" He started to stand, trying to pull his hand from hers. Her grip tightened. Even though Kiba had hurt her, and that she could never forgive him, she did not want him dead. She did not want Sasuke's hands to be bloodied any further.

Sasuke looked down at her, the defenseless girl, who clutched his hand as if there was nothing else in the world that had ever mattered at all anymore. He looked down at her pleading eyes and extended arms. She tried to sit up, but he sat back in the chair pushing on her shoulders so that she may lay back down.

He gazed into her pain stricken eyes, parting his lips so that he may taste the sweet breath in which she exhaled.

He wanted to kill all that even stood next to her. This girl... This timid little child never attempted to sympathize with him. She always looked upon him with respect, never pity. He admired such a beautiful quality. He admired how she accepted his faults and failures and supported his desire for revenge. He didn't want her to treat anyone like she did him, but she could never deny her nature. He could not betray his nature either. He knew he was to love her, be gentle with her, even though he was furious enough to slaughter all of Konoha in order to satisfy such rage.

She whimpered, drifting into a light sleep, leaving him behind. Sasuke longed to be the one who entered her dreams, but he knew by the tears forming at the corners of her eyes that only an evil soul who brought nothing but pain to her replayed over and over, so vividly that she was living through the terror all over again. He gently squeezed her small hand.

She opened her eyes once more, limply reaching out and clutching his shirt. He felt weak for he could do nothing. With the tears streaming down her face, she cried as she had done just the day before. He leant down and placed a gentle kiss upon her quivering lips. As he sat back up, he saw traces of a smile dancing across her lips.

"I-It's okay, a-as long as i-it's you." Her face turned even redder than it already was due to the fever she now possessed.

Sasuke wanted to say, 'Your still Hinata-Chan. You haven't changed. 'But, he never said that. If he had he would hurt her, even in such a delicate state.

She tried to lift her arm to wipe away he tears, but that was impossible. Sasuke leant down, pressing his forehand against hers. She had already stopped crying. He took her face in his hands and wiped away the stagnant tears,

"I won't ever make you cry like this. and if I break this promise, it will be you who thrusts a dagger through my heart.

"Hinata stuttered out, "I-I wanted y-you to be my first kiss." she hiccuped in her misery.

Sasuke chuckled in recollection of his first kiss, "Don't think of what he did as 'first'. If you didn't like it don't praise it with such a title."

Hinata nodded and Sasuke leaned down, slowly touching his lips to hers. He paused and she cold feel his breath against her face. She loved it. She loved him. She prayed for the strength to cherish this and be able to store it in her memory for an eternity.

"Hinata-Chan," Sasuke said, "With this, no one will be able to take you away from me... Please... Don't ever leave me alone. Stay with me." Sasuke's face was red as he took the final step in sealing his confession. Sealing his bargain with a kiss.

"H-he took some-something else." Hinata gasped.

Sasuke glared, but then his expression softened, "That never happened. Don't praise it."

Hinata nodded, letting the tomato faced Sasuke's lips connect with hers once again. She laughed in the back of her mind, almost erasing the changes.

Sasuke smiled to himself against her lips, "You are mine. No one may touch you without going through me."

Hinata finally wrapped him into a hug before her arms decided to go limp due to the fever. Sasuke promised that he would wait for the rain to stop before he took her to the hospital.


	6. Gentle Embraces

-Again I offer up a thousand apologies for such a long wait for those of you who are still reading my crappy writing, but I still wish for you to bare with me and read on as I build the suspense. I hope to recieve such lovely comments from all of you till the end! I do hope the outcome of the actions I have selected are to your likings please leave a comment good or bad and I would be obliged to discuss my hectic decisions with you as soon as possible. Again I must thank you for reading my writing and leaving a comment good or bad.-

-At The Hospital-

Hinata opened her eyes to the white ceiling. she felt the soft covers of the bed against her skin. She sighed, not needing to look around to know where she was. She knew that she was in a hospital now. she could smell the putrid stench of the ill and the lingering aroma of stagnant blood. It invaded her nose. She looked to the sides of her bed for Sasuke, To her dismay, he was nowhere. She sat up frantically searching, her eyes burning from lack of adaptation to the light. She squinted, wiping her eyes, only adding to her frustration.

"Sasuke!" She called out, but there was no reply and the room was empty, all except for the tiny dripping of the IV. She yawned then, attempting to lay back down. The room was peaceful, but that peace was falsified. Something was wrong. Sasuke had vowed to protect her. Did that not mean that he had to stay near her? She swallowed down the bile that was crawling up her throat. She couldn't doubt him. She stood up, swinging her legs off the side of the bed, her bare feet touching the cold ground.

As she stood, she noticed her wobble. Perhaps she still hadn't recovered from the fever. She grabbed her IV and began her journey. She staggered across the room, praying that her clumsiness would dissipate soon. She heaved herself at the door, opening it with great effort. She trudged forward, her face striking the warmth of another being. A bare chest. Her eyes widened as two strong arms wrapped around her, and a chin rested on the top of her head. She wanted to push away, but then Sasuke's voice rang out, numbing her fears,

"What are you doing out of bed?" He asked. He waited patiently for her reply.

Finally she answered him, "Y-you weren't there. I-I was afraid. I was afraid th-that you had left me forever." Sasuke chuckled to her answer and replied as simply as the air he had breathed,

"Never. I told you that you belong to me." Hinata blinked, her face heated. She couldn't bring the words from her lips. They stood there for only a moment longer before he shifted and lifted her with only one arm, he took firm hold of the IV drip with the other. She shook her head and he placed her frail body on the bed and pulled the covers up to her nose. With a sigh, he sat on the bed next to her, placing his hand on her forehead.

Hinata asked, "Were th-they mad?" Sasuke chuckled once more.

He spoke rather plaintively as if he were recalling something he had not wished to, "No. Sakura-San seemed rather amused with my returning. She wasn't so happy about you though."

Hinata closed her eyes. She did not wish to fall asleep and leave him alone in his thought, but she was so tired. She could barely keep her eyes open anymore and found herself drifting into the land of dreams.

She felt a warmth graced her cheek. She opened her eyes just as Sasuke sat back up. He had kissed her cheek. The thought brought warmth to her face once more and she reached out her hand to Sasuke's. He let her hold his hand and she marveled at how large it was. She had never seen such a graceful hand, no blemish or scar. It had startled her due to his fascination with swords and weapons. She knew that if she had looked at her hands, no matter how soft or plush they felt, they were riddled with scars. Sasuke didn't seem to care about her scarred hands. Naruto had never minded.

Soon she felt completely safe and managed to close her eyes. Soon she was asleep. She knew that if he had left he would not go far. He never would leave her now.

She dreamt that she were a bird. A small bird that never had to do anyone's bidding but the winds. She flew for days on end only feeding on nuts and grain. She didn't have to settle, and when she wanted to, she could construct her own home in a matter of only a day or two. When the winter hit, she left the land and her nest and fly away to a warmer place. She had very few limitations and hardly anything to worry of beside cats and other birds that were far too big to even chase her. She loved this dream if it hadn't been for the fact that Sasuke wasn't in it. He was not a fellow bird. He was protective Hawk nor Eagle. He had no place in her dream and for some reason she couldn't imagine him being there. It was not a place for him to be. It was her own, even though she belonged to him, he couldn't partake in what she dreamt. In where she wanted him to be. So that he may see her happiness and no burden.

She winced from her dream that had now turned into a nightmare. When she opened her eyes she was startled with an unusual delight. Sasuke was laying next to her. Although she did not like being so close to people especially due to how small the hospital cot was, but just him being there as she woke up was happiness alone.

"Why hello there." Sasuke smiled simply. She blushed and then in her delight giggled. She was not used to such bliss and happiness. She had undergone mostly shame throughout her childhood, and hard labor. Her younger sister seemed more fit to rule the clan, and yet she was forced to do nothing but train in the hopes to at least receive a smile or a "Congratulations" from her father.

He reached out, touching her hair. she smiled back at him, but flinched as the door to the room opened. A slow silent paced pair of feet glided gracefully into the room. A bug flew over to her and landed on the side of her face. She couldn't bare to get up to face him. She didn't want to see Shino. She didn't want to have to tell him what he had probably already deduced.

"Hello, Sasuke." Shino said as emotionless as ever. Hinata wondered what he really thought after he had seen the affection between them firsthand.

Sasuke swung his long legs over the side of the bed and pulled his torso up so that he was sitting up. He faced Shino and as if he was bored, sighed,

"Hello." He replied.

"I haven't seen you around here in a while. Nor have I detected your presence till yesterday evening. how have you been?"

"Ah, I have been fine. I had reained contact with Hinata recently as well."

Hinata blushed madly and sat up, using her pillows as props, listening nervously to their conversation.

Shino replied, "I see. So, what happened to revenge?"

"I am here for now. Recently I was unable to train due to a slight detour along my path, but I will start training as soon as I receive authorization."

"Ah, a faded path that lies just beyond a valley of dreams that have already been shattered beyond recognition. So you were in prison I take it?"

Sasuke nodded, "Yes, Hinata-Chan's clan owns the facility I was kept in."

"The Hyuuga Clan took over most to the prisons after the Uchiha were slaughtered into almost nonexistence."

"I have realized that." Sasuke's voice strained.

"So what of your journey?"

"I have developed a plan for my future. New dreams to lie beyond such a faded path. I will reach my goals even if I die in the process."

"Do you plan to steal Hinata away?"

"her worth had not gone down. She still smiles for me. Nothing has changed if she does not acknowledge the past. If she doesn't accept it, I shall not either." Hinata felt her tears coming fast. She leant against Sasuke's back covering her face, but no tears left her eyes. She gasped at this revelation, and continued to lean against his back, hiding her wide eyed expression.

"Hinata is a precious girl. What had happened is now in the past. Now it is our decision to decide whether to forgive or not for-"

Hinata brought the words to her lips, her shouting muffled against Sasuke's shirt,

"I cannot forgive!"

Shino sighed, "I see. I pray Kiba will pay for his sins against you." Hinata shook her head and Sasuke shivered as her nose rubbed his spine. He slouched forward preventing discomfort.

"I'm sorry Shino, but I must get revenge. I must be strong. I cannot give up. Ano, I'm really sorry."

"Do as you wish. I support you, but remember this, do not get ahead of yourself. Destruction only breeds more destruction."

Shino began to move towards the exit, his steps were heavy now and he stopped at the doorway as Sasuke made another unmistakable promise,

"I will protect her. Thank you for your support, but if you get in her way I'll have to kill you."

Shino nodded before leaving without a goodbye. Hinata whimpered, clutching the fabric of Sasuke's shirt with one hand. Sasuke sat up straighter, hitting her nose. He turned to face her, his eyes were soft.

"I want to help you get stronger. I want you to get revenge without having to wait for years."

Hinata nodded, "Thank you Sasuke."

Sasuke bent down, slouching once more to plant a graceful kiss upon her forehead. She smiled as he began to speak.

"Hinata-Chan, I want you to be the dream that lay at the end of the path I continue to follow. I want to use you to rebuild my Clan."

Hinata blinked, unsure of how to respond.

Sasuke continued, taking her hands in his "I want to take you away from here. I want to make you leave all your bad memories behind. I want you to give birth to my offspring and only let me see your beauty. I want you to stand at my side."

Hinata began to tremble, pushing away from him, "N-no more! N-no more!" she covered her ears, almost falling off the edge of the bed.

Sasuke's hands pulled her hands from her ears, his words as clear as any could ever be, "I wont make any advances on you unless you want me to. I belong to you and you to me, okay. You make the choices. I wont touch you if you don't want me to." Hinata's tensed muscles eased and let him pull her into a warm embrace. She thanked whatever god or perhaps gods that loomed above her for suchh good fortune. She pray that her blessings would last as she let Sasuke tuck her in and watch her drift into a land filled with nothing but dreams of a happy future.

She didn't have to worry about facing her strict father or the worried Neji, for the moment, Sasuke was there to chase her fears away.


	7. Still Pretty

-It's me again! I wish there were more comments, but I shouldn't be so greedy. I'm happy with the amount I am already recieving and I still wish for you all to hold on and enjoy the magical ride through my insanities. I'm working on chapter eight already and wish to recieve the most beautiful comments from you all real soon!-

-At Hinata's home-

Hinata was wary. She wasn't sure of Neji, who had given her a hug as soon as she walked through the door. The only time Neji had ever hugged her was when they were small children after he had beaten her to a nearlly bloody pulp and was forced to apologize.

Now, Neji sat by her side, giving her goose bumps. He gazed at her gently, avoiding eye contact. She had expected a lecture, or even him slapping her face, but he was being as gentle as Sasuke had been. She admired her cousin in this situation. She had always admired her cousin, but somehow this kindness he offered lifted her spirits.

Sasuke wasn't there with her now. He had left her to go discuss his escaping with the hokage. She awaited his return, but knew that he may not return and that she may not see him ever again. She may never hear his voice ever again.

Neji spoke, "You didn't deserve to be hurt like that." His voice was grave, "I worry about you all the time and when you didn't come home I feared for the worst."

"I-I listened to what you had said. I was careful." She tried to convince him, "I had a fever and couldn't focus. It was all my fault I could have prevented everything."

Neji smiled down at the floor, "Yes, your life has been stressful recently." Neji's smiled ceased and transformed into a cold frown, "I didn't help. We're family, we are supposed to help each other, and I-I failed you Hinata. I made you even more stressed!"

Hinata's eyes widened as Neji to her face, tears in his eyes. She reached out to hug him, but he slipped away.

"It's partially my fault! Mine! I had to scold you. I made your health worse." Hinata reached out to Neji once more, finally wrapping her arms around her crying cousin.

Neji asked, his cheek rubbing against hers, "Why? Why do you still treat me like this?"

Hinata smiled, "Silly Ne-Neji-Kun. The past is the past. You didn't do anything in my eyes. You did nothing." She could hear him whimper and tremble hopelessly. She patted his back as he sobbed out his frustrations.

"Please don't hate me." Neji begged, "I don't have anyone to rely on anymore, please Hinata-Sama." His elegant fingers curling around her shoulders. She hummed a slow tune and let him cry out his pains, whispering soft words of praise. She could never hate Neji, no matter how much she feared him at times. He was family.

As soon as Neji calmed, Hinata gently patted his head and smiled. Neji was human. he needed someone to talk to that he could actually depend on besides Ten-Ten and Lee. He needed someone who could help him understand, not just confuse him further.

Hinata looked deep into his eyes, her gaze serious, "Neji-Kun. I would never hate you. Yo-you are my family. No matter what you do, I wil-will always be your family. And you haven't done anything to be condemned over, understand?" Neji nodded slowly, wiping the last of his tears away. His eyes weren't swollen, nor would they be. He had the skin every girl dreamed of and it was impossible to tell when he had been crying.

"I'm sorry I bothered you, Hinata. You should get some rest. Your father would like to see you early tomorrow." Hinata didn't abandon her smile and agreed,

"Yeah, th- thank you Neji-Kun. But, I'd feel safer if you stayed with me tonight." Neji nodded solemnly before Hinata continued, "How ab-about we sleep like we did wh-when we were children tonight? I don't want to be alone if I have b-bad dream."

She pulled back her covers and let her cousin slide in next to her. He smiled slightly and spaced himself away from her. Soon, his breath became shallow and he drifted into the land of dreams, Hinata joined him in such a preposterous world, still unable to tear down such a brilliant smile.  
>She dreamt of a world of peaceful smiles, knowing that this world was only a misguided dream. There were hardly any smiles to be distributed in such a world.<p>

The door to her room opened slightly and the tall figure of Sasuke bent over his sleeping angel's face, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Neji remained still, though awake and watching Sasuke intently. Sasuke smirked at Neji and whispered so that not to wake up Hinata,  
>"Keep her safe tonight." He turned and disdainfully left Hinata in the care of her cousin Neji.<br>Neji nodded in reply after Sasuke had already left and pushed closer to Hinata, falling into slumber once again.  
>-In the morning-<p>

Hinata wasn't used to waking up so late. She reached out before her and touched Neji's sleeping face by accident, forgetting his presence. Neji was stirred from his slumber and sat up abruptly, almost pulling Hinata up with him. He glanced down at her as sternly as usual, but did not lecture her about sleeping in the same bed as a man. Neji also didn't wish to be alone the night before and had no right to say anything.

Hinata sat up, stretching out her arms as Neji hurried off the bed and said that he had to leave to go get ready. Hinata watched Neji. His graceful movements making her jealous. Neji slipped on his sandals and out the door.

Hinata smiled gently, waving to Neji, who didn't turn to wish her his farewell. Hinata would not let this discourage her. She quickly snapped the lock to her door shut, pulled her clothes off, and nearlly skipped into the steaming shower.

She had always enjoyed how the water which hit the back of her neck roughly as she scrubbed shampoo into her long brilliantly blackish hued indigo hair massaged her back. She enjoyed the warmth of the shower. She adored how the shampoo rushed out of her silky hair, same with the conditioner.

She stepped out of the steaming shower enjoying her luxury till the very last drops fell from her elbows and unto the cold floor. She waited, standing before the mirror, for the fog to clear.  
>She pulled her underwear and her pants on, wrapping her bandages around her ankles, towel drying her hair. Finally the mirror cleared and she stared into it blankly, taking heavy note of her battered blue skin. Her bruised breasts. She frowned recalling on how she was told to forget about it, ignore it and believe that, truthfully, it had never happened. That she had never been hurt like that, but it was so hard not to remember when the evidence was riddled over her skin. It etched it's scars deep into her soul, scars that would take centuries to heal. Time she did not posess in this lifetime.<p>

"I'm still... pretty." She whimpered solemnly, "Sasuke still thinks I'm nice. Doesn't he?" She asked herself a question that she was terrified of. She shuddered and then dropped the subject completely.

She pulled on the rest of her under garments and a light lavender tank top and a white jacket, running a comb through her hair. Another sensation she enjoyed. The feeling of the comb easing through the small tangles and gently tugging on her scalp created a surreal sensation. She savored this the most. It was almost as if she was... flying. She felt as if the wind was blowing through her hair as if her hair was a gentle field of wheat.

She smiled slightly, a though bubbling up through the crevices of her mind "I am not pretty anymore... I know this. They'll all lie to me if I ask."

She turned and rushed to her door. It easily slid open after she tucked her slender feet into a pair of sandals. She opened the door to what seemed to be a peaceful world. Her shoes padded lightly against the planked wood floor. Her father awaited her now.

-Please remember to leave me a comment, good or bad. And thank you for reading!-


	8. Say It

-The fruits of my labor. I think this is the best of all the chapters I've written so far. Please comment~! I love all comments good or bad and I am looking forward to reading them!-

She hated her father's merciless eyes, his blunt tongue and his disgusted eyes. She hated how she could read his feelings about her off his face as if he were a book. Sasuke wasn't there, and even with Neji and Hanabi, she was still afraid.

He had told her what she dreaded to hear, 'You aren't fit to wed anymore. Tainted brides do not bring good fortune. We can no longer marry you off.' Hinata shook her head she knew that what he said next would definitely come forth and burn through her soul, 'You are no longer aloud in the house of Hyuuga. It is truly a shame, Hinata, that you are no longer valuable, but if you lack the strength and cannot be married off, we have no choice.'

At that moment, Neji began to rise to protest against her banishment, but Hinata pulled him back down so that he sat. She had lifted her head and spoke harshly,

She rubbed her sore cheek in recollection of those daring words and the look on her mother's face, 'I understand. Father, you cannot fill your heart with love. Personally, I find you the useless one.' Hinata stood, and so did her father. She was preparing to turn when her father's hand came across her face. Her mother had shrieked and Hinata herself was shocked. Her father had never hit her before.

'Get out you disrespectful pest!' He had hissed and Hinata staggered, holding her hand to her cheek, shocked by his display of anger.

She now sat solemnly on a bench near a garden on the far eastern side of the village. She had planted this small array of flowers a couple years ago. This was a place where Naruto liked to train just as much as the one where she had met Sasuke. She would meet him here. She did before the Chuunin exams. This was where he had defended her against bullies. After Naruto left to train with the toad sage, they built a small bench to celebrate his growing up and going away.

Hinata loved this bench which held so many memories, so then she had decided to built a garden to draw more people near so that they mat partake in the joy of knowing that Naruto would return to this and smile, one day sitting on the very bench they were seated on.

She knew she couldn't go back there. She knew Neji was probably going to also be slapped for defying her father's wishes. She knew that Neji was going to gather up her things and bring them to her. She knew that she was going to have to kill Kiba and eventually give what's left of herself to Sasuke and then inform Naruto.

She sensed a familiar flamboyant chakra bounding her way. She listened as Naruto's feet trampled over the small dirt path and up to the fence. She wasn't ready to face him, be judged by him.

He spoke from behind her, "Hinata, I heard about it." Hinata winced as Naruto's hand crept up to her shoulder. He stepped out so that he was facing her, his face red, his eyes ashamed.

"I should've been here." He complained, "I could have protected you!" He knelt down before her, looking into her eyes.

Hinata shook her head, "No, Naruto! I-It was your dream. It i-is your dream to become hokage! You-you don't have to-to protect me."

Naruto grabbed her hand. He licked his lips. Hinata wondered why he'd do such a thing. She wondered if her wanted to kiss her. She knew that he wanted that, but was too afraid.

When she finally decided to jerk her hand away, he shouted, words that she had longed to hear since she was a child, "I love you Hinata-Chan! I want to be with you! Forever! I don't care if you've changed."

He pulled open her frozen fingers with his own, a cold touch of metal kissed her palm. She peered down into her palm to see a small heart shaped tin box. She opened the box to find a necklace in the shape of a tear drop.

Naruto chuckled nervously, "There were chocolates in there, but I sorta got hungry and, you know, a box isn't such a nice present if nothings in it, so I put this in it instead."

Hinata's breath hastened and her face felt hot, "Na-Naruto. I-I can't lo-love-"

Naruto smiled at her, "You can't love me because you live Sasuke, right?" He pulled the necklace from the tin and stood to place it around her slender neck, "I understand that. But feelings change. And someday you may love me again."

Hinata frowned, "Na-Naruto-Kun!"

Naruto continued, "I'm ashamed that I lost you to my best friend." he chuckled sadly, defeating the placement of his sad smile, "That doesn't mean I can't steal you away." Finally the necklace was clasped.

Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders, breathing into her face and staring far into her light eyes, "I'm going to kiss you, Hinata-Chan. I'm going to kiss you... I really want to kiss you so bad." He frowned, matching Hinata's expression to a 'T', "Why can't I kiss you dammit!" He leant forward and Hinata froze, whimpering softly,

"I-I lo-love Sasuke-kun." Naruto pulled away, still unable to touch his lips to hers.

"Sasuke would get mad at me if I kissed you. Especially since he's watching us now." Naruto glanced towards the shrubs off to the side of the clearing. Sasuke broadly strode through, his face red.

Naruto smiled and took a step away, allowing Sasuke to assume command over Hinata's heart. Sasuke sat next to her, nodding at Naruto swiftly before turning his full attention to Hinata.

Hinata backed away. She didn't want him to kiss her in front of Naruto. She didn't want to lose herself in his luscious lips. She didn't want Naruto to see Sasuke's passion. Hinata wanted to be the only one to see his wonderful passion.

"Say it." Sasuke demanded, leaning in closer to Hinata. Hinata cowered back even further like a little scared animal. Sasuke's eyes were serious.

"I-I can't!" Hinata's face burned madly with heat. she decided to pull even further away, leaning over the side of the bench.

Sasuke's words were cold now, blunt, "Say it. I want you to say it to me." He took her face in his hands.

Hinata shook her head, "N-no! No!"

Sasuke asked her, "Would you prefer it if I never talked to you again?" He pulled back, dropping his hands to his sides, and began to turn away. She sat up straight, fidgeting with the edge of her shirt. She sat there for the longest time, fidgeting, occasionally glancing at Sasuke and receiving an eyeful of the back of his head.

"Please don't ma-make me." She nearly begged.

...Silence greeted her warmly. She felt as if she were drowning. she looked to Naruto for help, but received no salvation other than Naruto staring into the grass before him.

She swallowed back her fear and... continued to fidget. Sasuke remained Silent and Naruto remained useless.

"I-I Lo-love y-you." She whispered in only a tiny stutter.

Sasuke didn't turn to face her, "What did you say? I couldn't quite hear you."

Hinata stammered out only a little louder than before, "I-I love y-you."

Sasuke turned partially, "Sorry, i seem to be quite hard of hearing."

Hinata gasped out, "Sasu-Sasuke-Kun!" She watched as he turned to face her. Her face  
>turned red and she relied on her instincts. She leant forward before Sasuke could even understand what she was doing and eagerly pressed her lips to his.<p>

She could hear Naruto mutter under his breath, "Damn"

Sasuke froze as Hinata pulled away, his eyes were wide and confused. She knew she had tamed him. She knew that even if Naruto was there, it didn't change anything.

She took his face in her hands, her breath hard as she leaned back into his lips. Sasuke was motionless for a moment, not understanding what to do but softly kiss her back. Hinata's cheeks lit up with even more heat and joy. She took another bold step and pushed her tongue into his mouth.

Sasuke half chuckled against her lips, and his tongue was soon against hers, dancing in her mouth. She didn't know how to breath and pulled away, panting, but then, Sasuke leaned in on top of her, and Naruto's existence withered as Sasuke's tenderness became harder and more forceful. she accepted his cruelty and let him wrap his arms around her waist. She gasped as his fingertips traced circles against her spine.

She closed her eyes as Sasuke did the same. They kissed one last time, accepting each others love.

Sasuke spoke, "I'm sorry. I know you didn't like that."

Hinata blushed deeper as her face reached impossible shades of red. Sasuke chuckled, pulling away from her and leaving the embrace.

Hinata desperately placed her command on him, "I love you Sasuke Uchiha-Kun."

Sasuke helped her sit back up and her world fell on top of her. She quickly glanced at Naruto, whose face had turned redder than her own. He covered his nose with his hands.

"You-You saw?" Hinata cried out.

Sasuke's chuckle was sinister, "She belongs to me now, Naruto. She's mine."

Naruto glared, "O-oh, I see." Naruto stood, stumbling slightly as he struggled to move on.

Sasuke turned as soon as Naruto's back faded into the distance. Sasuke smiled slightly,

"Say it again."

"I... love you."

"Wasn't so hard was it?"

"No..."

Hinata blinked. She knew that she had to tell him that she was homeless now. She had to tell  
>him. But, something more important came to mind,<p>

"Sasuke-Kun! What happened with Hokage-Sama?"

Sasuke sighed, "I'm free."

Hinata's face cooled a bit, "Ano, i have to tell you something..."

"What?"

"My father found out about K-Kiba and, A-ano, he-he dis-disowned me." She frowned, but,  
>Sasuke's arms wrapped around her. She gasped as she realized she was staring into his eyes. She swam in them, getting lost in their warmth. A blackness filled with warmth.<p>

"I have a place. I have a place for us to go to. I have a house outside the village."

"H-house?"

"But, I can't leave the village for a while. I rented an apartment."

Hinata smiled. She wanted to live with Sasuke. She felt safe when he was near her. She love his comfort more than she had once loved Kiba's. she realized once more that she had to kill Kiba. she knew that if she hadn't, she could never forgive herself or even dare to look Sasuke, who cannot reach his ultimate goal, in the eyes.

-I had NOO clue whatsoever where to end this so I read it over and chopped a good three hundred words off and came up with this. If you were wondering what those extra words were. Well, they were to extend on the plot I was building, but I had no way to end that if I just kept going so I put my foot down here! And ~yay~ end of chapter eight!-


	9. Little Dove

-This chapter came out to lovey! And I was looking towards tragedy! I'm sorry if I'm losing my touch! I really apologize! And please comment and tell me how horrid this chapter had came out, or perhaps how much you've enjoyed this insanity up until now. I hope to get the next chapter out much sooner. I have a regents test tomorrow though so I cannot work on it tonight nor tomorrow until the evening. Please bare with me while I try to preform "magic" in the fanfiction!-

His lips began to slide down her neck and she shuddered, secretly comparing this to her greatest delights. His fingers coiled around her wrists as he pushed her back unto the bed, his lips now to hers once again.

Her face flushed crimson and he chuckled, tracing her gentle lips with his tongue. His eyes filled with pleasure and begged to go further.

Her heart felt as if it were to combust at any second. Part of her wanted him to continue, another part began to push him away.

Noticing the struggle, Sasuke reluctantly pulled away, sitting up. He fought his sulkiness and gentle caressed her tomato colored cheeks. She smiled at him and attempted to take his hand, her slender fingers twined gracefully into his.

"Sa-Sasuke." Hinata breathed, "I-I'm sorry." His eyes locked with hers and he revealed his slight irritation with her most recent choice of words.

He put a finger to her lips, pulling his hand from hers, "I'll only take you when you are ready. I don't 'need' sex, Hinata." He enjoyed at how she innocently gasped at the S-word. Relishing his power, her leant down and engaged into another kiss.

When he pulled away, he looked back into his speechless Hime's eyes and smiled accordingly. She struggled to sit up, and pouted at her defeat.

"Sasu-" He cut her off, extending his finger and lightly poking her forehead,

"Mine." He said, smiling sweetly.

-Naruto-

He could no longer put a name to his heart ache. He couldn't tell if it was his love or his jealousy, or if it was simply both. He knew that Sasuke was planning to leave her soon. No matter what Sasuke's nature was one that could easily hide love and turn to hate.

The swing creaked under her weight as he thrust himself away from the ground. This little wooden swing had at one time convinced him that if her had swung high enough her could reach the heavens, but no matter how high he went there was no stars to grab unto. There was no heaven for him to journey into.

He gasped against his tears, "I-I love her." He pumped his legs, reaching out as he swung forward, still unable to catch his beloved star.

The bushes next to the swing rustled and a tall hooded figure slumped out of them. It was to dark to recognize the figure by physical characteristics, but her could hear the loud sobbing and knew exactly who it belonged to.

Leaping forward off the swing, Naruto found his voice and a name crossed his lips, "K-Kiba?"

Kiba looked to Naruto, "H-her, Akama- Dead!" He babbled out.

He put his hands over his ears, crying out to Naruto as he fell to his knees, "I-I... Kill me! Kill me! Pl-please! Just kill me Naruto!" Naruto stepped back as Kiba reached out to him, gasping for air.

"No." Naruto said sternly, the moonlight reflecting in his eyes.

Kiba shook his head, allowing to hood to fall down. His animal like eyes were red and swollen from his tears, "Y-You don't understand!" Kiba cried. He was growing facial hair and Naruto had guessed that he had not shaved in a few days or so.

Kiba continued, still sob sobbing and reaching out to beg for death, "I... I... Akama-maru, he's dead! He's dead! A-and I hurt Hinata! I hurt her! I loved her and ye-yet I touched her." He looked desperately into Naruto's eyes, "I-I can't even loo-look at myself anymore!"

Naruto looked down upon Kiba pitifully, fighting his anger, "I could have turned into you." He muttered solemnly, "I could have hurt her."

Kiba gasped as Naruto spoke even softer, "I cannot be the one to kill you Kiba-Kun. You'll have to ask the ones you hurt."

-Hinata-

Sasuke froze as a knock sounded on the door, swiftly pushing Hinata behind him, pulling a kunai from his pocket. The door slowly opened and a purple-eyed man began to shout complaints at Sasuke.

Hinata didn't dare peek out any further, but she could clearly see his off-white jaggedly cut hair and the annoyed expression he bore. Sasuke glared, not stepping back to invite his irritable guest into his home.

Sasuke grumbled, "Leave Suigetsu."

"Oi Jugo!" The man, Hinata now knew was called Suigetsu, beckoned and a tall man with plain facial features and orange hair and eyes stepped into Hinata's sight, towering over Suigetsu. His expression was flawless and blank, however when his eyes happened upon Sasuke's face, he seemed almost relieved for a moment and listened as Suigetsu continued.

"He's got a girl in his room!" Suigetsu laughed and Hinata tucked behind Sasuke's back once more, "God! He's finally using his good looks for reproduction purposes!"

Sasuke tensed and Hinata pressed her hands against his back to assure him that she was okay. He was eased slightly, and took a step back,

"Come in." He scowled at Suigetsu, "Is Karin with you?"

Suigetsu snorted, "Heh, That bitch is long gone. Jugo made a hawk carry off one of your toothbrushes and she went to 'retrieve' it." He laughed as he made tiny air quotes.

Hinata peeked out once more, receiving Suigetsu's warm smile, "Heh, Nice to meet you."

She looked to Jugo, wary of taking her eyes off of Suigetsu. Jugo nodded and filled Hinata's meager drive. She decided to take a bold move.

She stepped out slightly from behind Sasuke, as if she was testing the water of a swimming hole. When she decided that it was safe she stepped out fully and bowed deeply towards Suigetsu and Jugo, her face flushed.

"A-Ano, my na-name is Hyuuga Hinata. Pl-pleased to meet y-you." She looked up slightly at them and then to Sasuke who was staring at her. she winced slightly so that Suigetsu and Jugo would not notice, held her bow for a moment longer and then rose back up.

Suigetsu walked past Hinata and Sasuke, flopping down on the bed. He smiled at Hinata. Jugo loomed at the doorway.

Sasuke spoke to the giant man, "Get in here." Jugo flinched as Hinata usually did and began to hesitate and procrastinate on whether or not to enter. Hinata approached him smiling nervously.

She reached out for his hand, which he jerked away. She was persistent though and continued to reach. Finally, he let her delicate fingers wrap around three fingers of each of his hands. She tugged slightly and Jugo willingly followed.

"Are y-you Sasuke's friends?" She asked, smiling.

Jugo smiled as slightly as he could, "Sasuke-San is my cage." Sasuke didn't speak.

"Heh? Why do you want to know what I am to Sasuke? I could be his lover you know!" Hinata blushed madly at Suigetsu's words. She couldn't imagine Sasuke loving such an annoying man.

"A-Ano-" Sasuke cut her off,

"Relax Hinata. He's a comrade of mine."

Suigetsu laughed, "She makes cute expressions!" He glanced at Sasuke, "Careful I just might steal your cute little dove away~!"

Jugo sat cross-legged on the floor next to where Sasuke stood. Sasuke reached out for Hinata, wrapping his hand around her wrist and pulling her closer to him. Jugo watched Hinata as well as Suigetsu.

"She is my warden." Sasuke said and to that Suigetsu burst into laughter, applauding. Hinata didn't understand his reasoning. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her stomach and pulled her back onto the bed to sit, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Suigetsu said with another laugh, "Heh, you really scored a cutie."

Sasuke glared at him, not concealing his emotion, "She's mine." He hugged her tighter and she tensed, realizing that she was on his lap.

Suigetsu continued to joke, "Lovely rack too!"

Jugo became slightly upset, "Suigetsu, she belongs to Sasuke, be quiet."

"Fond of the little dove too? Heh, no matter. I'll steal her away in the end." Suigetsu stuck his tongue out at Jugo and then turned to Hinata.

Her reached out his hand and caressed her face as Sasuke had done, as Kiba had done. His fingers traced down her jaw line and towards the base of her throat. His eyes lingered over her body sticking to her chest as his breathing became slightly harder. She cried out slightly, throwing herself towards the floor, off of Sasuke's lap, ripping Sasuke's grip away from her stomach and bruising his chin. Sasuke's eyes were wide as Hinata began to cower backward towards the wall.

"St-stop trying to hur-hurt me!" Hinata cried, forcing her frail body back against the wall, trembling. Jugo stood up and approached Suigetsu, his large hand colliding with Suigetsu's right cheek. Suigetsu's head splashed into water and soaked the bed. Immediately he started to regenerate as the water began to gather.

Sasuke was now before her once more, his hands holding the sides of her face as he tried to speak past her screaming.

"Don't!" She cried, "Do-Don't let him touch me! Ma-Make him stop. He'll hur-hurt me again!"

Suigetsu shouted to Sasuke against Hinata's cries, "You really chose a weird one Sasuke."

Sasuke ignored him and continued to attempt to calm Hinata. Hinata couldn't seem to calm herself. She raised her hands to begin to strike him. She shook her head in shock.

"Stop it Kiba-Kun!" She cried as she swung at Sasuke.

Sasuke grabbed her wrists and thrust his lips into hers. She screamed, biting his lip. Blood trailed down Sasuke's chin and unto the floor. Jugo stepped forward to help Sasuke hold her down, but stopped as he noticed Hinata's eyes widening.

She whimpered and apology against is bloody lips, her face red with her embarrassment. Sasuke deepened the bloody kiss, not letting her escape. Suigetsu smirked at how bold Sasuke was acting.

"I-I can-cannot forget it any-anymore." Hinata cried as Sasuke pulled away.

Sasuke dropped her wrists and grabbed her shoulders, pressing her against the wall, "We aren't him! I promise that I'll protect you. Suigetsu was joking and Jugo would never touch you either. Hinata the only one who can touch you is me!" She whimpered another apology and let Sasuke pull her into an embrace.

Jugo squatted down on the floor again and extended a hand to Hinata, "I won't touch you." He said. Suigetsu rolled his eyes and agreed that he wouldn't harm Sasuke's 'little dove',

"Besides I have no interest in timid little women. I prefer the aggressive bitchy type. Some may say I'm a masochist, heh, funny right?"

Sasuke stood up, pulling Hinata to her feet and shooing Suigetsu off of his bed. He sat Hinata down on the bed and let her apologize once more before planting another peck on her lips.

Hinata was red faced as she forced eye contact with the two guests. She smiled slightly and then stared into her lap with shame, preparing to do one of the most difficult things in her life.

"C-can I trust you?" She asked. Jugo nodded and Suigetsu shrugged slightly.

Sasuke patted her back slightly, "Say what you want to." he encouraged.

Hinata nodded swiftly and then continued, "I'm so j-jumpy be-because I was hu-hurt by a comrade of mine... Ki-kiba-Kun. I was guardi-ing Sasuke-Kun and it was raining a-and I ha-had a fever. I went ou-outside to go home and Ki-kiba was there. He said- He said he loved me so he began touching m-me and then I wasn't 'me' anymore. I-I couldn't go home, so-so I went back toto Sasuke's cell. " She looked up meeting the understanding in Jugo's eyes and the amusement in Suigetsu's, "I-I'm really not st-strong an-and Father said that since I-I am not strong a-and can no longer be married o-off that I was useless to th-the clan. He dis-disowned me and then Sasuke took me in. I owe hi-him so much now."

Sasuke listened as she continued, planting a small kiss on her cheek as he continued her explanation, "I-I lov-love Sasuke-Kun. I lo-love him very much!" Her face was red, "He-he needs me fo-for his clan and I-I belong to him." Her face felt even hotter and she could no longer look at Jugo and Suigetsu.

"I-I know he is going to leave me soon! I know it." she practically shouted, "He's going to tell Na-naruto-Kun t-to take care of me." It was almost a conformation as Sasuke grabbed her chin and pulled her quivering lips to his, forcing her into a hard kiss, an apologetic kiss.

She wanted to push away and not receive his sympathy, but the kiss was so extravagant that she could not help but fall into it, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth allowing herself to fall back into his possession, allowing herself to forget temporarily once more and truly believe that it was okay. Even though they were watching, she didn't care, but it was hard to kiss back. He was so passionate that she had to fight in order to keep up with him.

Suigetsu and Jugo left that night staring at Sasuke's affection, wondering why he was like this. Wy he was going to leave such a gentle dove. Hinata waved as their back's faded out into the corridors, red faced. She smiled as she felt Sasuke's stare hit her. She turned to him smiling just as sweetly as she ever had. Even without her family by her side, and the looming threat of Sasuke leaving her, she was almost the happiest she could ever have been.


	10. Love and Hatred

-WARNING: this is not the last chapter! So please keep reading and don't toss me aside, I'll really cry! Oh, please comment! Good or bad I love to read them~! Tell me how this chapter went or what you think of the plot or the story overall. I haven't been receiving any information on Sasuke's personality. I thought I screwed that up for sure, Hinata's personality is really off as well due to her given situation, but I haven't really experienced any thing in the dating department so I try to be as close as I came be by observing random couples(not like to weird person on the park bench with obviously fake glasses as they stare at you people!) Remember to comment please I really love all your amazing opinions!-

She couldn't remember why she had opened the door, why she had been so shocked to see his unkept grizzled hair and untamed budding facial hair. His eyes were swollen as he tried to meet her screaming gaze. She took a step back, turning to run for the kitchen. Her screams followed her every step of the way as a cat would to a stranger who gave him it a meal.

She still couldn't remember who she had thought was beyond the door. Sasuke was in the shower. Maybe she expected Naruto, who had not even been alerted of their location, or maybe Suigetsu and Jugo like the day before. She hadn't thought of her byakugan. She had let that slip her mind.

She scrambled to open drawers, looking back with terror in her eyes at the matted version of who she had come to recognize as Kiba. He looked a lot older she had noted as she finally took white-knuckled hold of a thick kitchen knife.

"Get out!" she shouted, fighting another scream, "Y-You can't hurt me again! I... I wont let you!"

Kiba shook his head, his swollen eyes producing tears.

Kiba shook his head, "Kill me H-Hinata, Akamaru died. I hurt you. I hurt you so much." He took a step toward her and she clutched the knife tighter, "I don't de-deserve to live. Kill me! Your beauty blinds me, make me... make me unable to see you ever again, I don't deserve to even breath anymore!" He winced as a door slammed off in the distance, but he didn't turn to look where the slam had originated from, nor did Hinata. She couldn't drop her gaze. She was too afraid to let go of the knife.

"You trai-traitor." Hinata choked out against her tearless sobs, "You stu-stupid jerk! How could you? How could you do that? How?"

Kiba stood motionless, all except for the movement of his lips, "... Kill me... Kill m-me."

Hinata stomped her foot, "I hate you! I hate y-you so much! Kiba, I hate you!"

"I love you so much Hinata. You'll never be able to understand anymore... Kill me" A step closer.

"You were th-the only one who came cl-close to understanding me! I believed in you! I-I trusted you!"

"Kill me... I don't deserve any trust."

Hinata wiped tears from her eyes, trying to blink them away, "B-Bas-Bastard." She whimpered out, "I-I... I-I am not m-me any-anymore!"

"I don't deserve to even look at you anymore!" Kiba cried out, "Kill me!"

A voice sounded out from behind Kiba, "Your right. How could you ever deserve to look at her?" Sasuke approached them, his hair dripping wet and a white towel wrapped around his waist.

Kiba flinched.

Sasuke spoke cruelly, "Bastard... You heard her. She hates you. You should die. You don't deserve to marvel in her beauty" He stepped closer and Kiba fell to his knees sobbing, begging Hinata for death. Hinata shook her head damning him with her frightened, hateful gaze.

His eyes looked tortured. His sobbing grew louder.

Sasuke spoke, "You picked her flower before she had come to fully ripen. You shouldn't deserve to see at all. How could you bask in the beauty in which you knew you had once destroyed." He crouched down next to Kiba, slightly trembling from his anger.

Kiba gasped out, reaching to embrace Sasuke and beg him for death as he had Hinata. Sasuke smirked,

"Let me fix that little problem you have developed." He said in a rather harsh tone.

He reached out to Kiba, gently caressing the sobbing man's face, smiling menacingly. Kiba's tears ceased slowly. Sasuke slowly became harsher, traveling to Kiba's eyes. Hinata didn't understand until Sasuke began to press his thumbs into Kiba's eye sockets. Kiba let out a high pitched scream. For a moment Kiba struggled howling madly as if he were nothing more than a beast. To Hinata he was a beast, mad from a lust which he could not obtain. Sasuke, to Hinata, was also a beast, only his lust had sprouted from the desire of revenge. Sasuke smirked as Kiba's jerks became more furious. Hinata could not see Kiba's eyes, but she saw the blood which mixed into what seemed to be Kiba's tears.

"Hopeless Bastard... What? Were you lying? I'm only doing you a favor." Kiba's struggling fell flat and Sasuke continued to spew forth his madness, "No longer can you bask in her beauty. You plucked a flower that was planted in my garden. You are nothing but a shallow rootedbush of thorns to her. Let me pull you out you useless weed."

Sasuke pulled away after a moment, leaving Kiba covering one bloody smashed eye with his hand, the other eyes he left in sight as it bled, blood descending down his face and dripping from his chin unto the hard wood floor. Kiba whimpered as Sasuke stood, the towel still tightly wrapped around his waist.

Hinata let out another cry and shouted her feelings of hatred at him once more, almost regretting her words as they bounced into the air, soaring into Kiba's ears.

Kiba rose from the ground, swaying as a leaf in the conflicting winds or the tides of a great pool or ocean. He slumped forward, staggering towards Hinata.

"Thank You Hinata. I beg of you not to forgive me." Kiba continued his walking, blindly marching on, "Hate me with everything you have and let me die a graceful man. I love you and wherever I go I'll... think of only you, longing to see you, who I can no longer even glance upon." His pace sped up and he was running towards her now as the wind from the window behind her crashed into her back.

Hinata screamed and his shoulder crashed against hers, bruising. His right leg flew up toward her face as his torso hung out the window. It felt like hours before he actually fell, before he began to slide away. It had only been long enough for a whisper. Three words. Kiba's three words hit her, penetrating her heart as she relived the pain he had put her through. She tried to grab him, she felt she had the obligation of suffering along with him, but Kiba had already slid out the window before she could take hold of him. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest as a cold heat climbed the back of her neck in fear. Her eyes widened as she fought another scream.

Had she really hated him? Could she really have hated him? Or had he done this to her.  
>It only took a moment before she heard the screaming from beneath. She had to decide whether it was actually her own frantic screams or it was the townspeople below. They were not her screams anymore. They didn't belong to her anymore. Her threat was gone, but why did she feel so empty? The shouting and desperate calls for help tore her heart. People protesting that it was too late to save him brought her ease and yet a great sorrow and only causing the gap of emptiness inside her to grow larger. Slowly, she turned to face Sasuke, who was staring at her pained face.<p>

"Come here." He said and she stepped into his embrace, "I know. I know. You're hurting again." Hinata whimpered, searching for her lost tears, but still could not find any to cry out with.

Sasuke swayed gently, causing her to sway as well. He patted her back as she leaned against him, dry eyed and broken once more. She wasn't herself. She began to believe that she was someone else just watching this, or that it was just a dream.

She stuttered out, "I-I don't know h-how much o-of me is gone an-anymore."

She attempted to pull away from Sasuke, but met his lips instead. She let him kiss her, but she didn't understand if she wanted to kiss him back. She didn't understand herself anymore. She needed him to understand, but she couldn't tell him about the emptiness that loomed inside her. It was too soon to even think let alone let him touch her with his bloodied hands. She felt as dirt in which he walked upon. There was no hope for his deranged soul.

"I'm slain by you, Hinata Hyuuga. You won." Hinata shook her head as her nose rubbed against his bare chest. She wanted away from him, to run away screaming, crying for Neji and her Father to come save her.

Sasuke pulled away from her, "I'm going to go put some clothes on." Hinata winced at the bloodstains smeared upon the towel. She realized that there were probably even more smeared on her face. Sasuke gave her a slight smile, before hurrying into the bathroom. She noticed through her dull senses that the tips of his ears blazed crimson.

"Kiba-Kun, I won't forgive you." She said, looking out the window, "But, I want you to forgive me... Okay? I'm going to be deranged. I'm not me anymore, but I'll try to be me." She sighed as a gust of wind kissed her cheek, "I'll try my hardest to be the "Hinata" he desires, I'll love him with what pieces of this weathered soul I can salvage."

She stared blankly out the window, letting her mind drift as the breeze kept lightly touching her, running through her hair as a lovers hands do. She waited silently for Kiba to return or for her to wake up, but all she had found was Sasuke, slamming the open window shut.

She blankly stared on to her fate, waiting for the sweet feeling of Sasuke's kiss to turn bitter and stab her, breaking her broken vessel's soul into even more pieces.

"Say it again." Sasuke's voice rang out.

Hinata did not stutter. She didn't know how to add any emotion to her words. Slowly she drew them from her mind and sent them forth, letting them waltz of her tongue as if nothing had happened, as if she were still the fragment of Hinata Hyuuga that she had used to be.

She spoke the words that appeased him,

"I Love You"

-I plan to be doing so fan art on deviantart. I cannot use Photoshop, but I will try my hardest to draw it. I shall announce the link hopefully on my profile or in the next fanfiction which I shall begin immediately after this one's finale. I'm working out some styles in drawing(I'm pretty good at mocking styles or adopting different style and putting them all together almost as if they were my own) and am having some sucky luck so it may take a while. Please remember to comment! and I hope you all bare with me till the end~!-


	11. Whims

-Last chapter. I think the ending sucks. Be warned that there is no sex scene so please don't get too disappointed and read on till the end. I have set up a Deviantart account and wish to post some fan art for this fanfiction and others. If you have any scenes you wish for me to draw I'd be happy to. Even if you'd send me a base to use, that would be fine as well. They'll be sketched and colored with colored pencil so don't look forward to Photoshop. I've already decided on the bench scene. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I look forward to sending you my next work! Thank you for reading with me till the end and please comment! I love all comments from you good or bad, so thank you! And I plan to reply to each comment received.-

"Kiss me again." He commanded and she leaned towards his lips, he smiled down at her after accepting her kiss.

Hinata's face naturally heated and she wondered blankly whether this was a sign of feeling or this was just some sparks left in her soul that still had yet to whither out and die along with her chances of marriage.

"What's wrong?" He asked. She had not cared to hear this, in fact the part of her that was still beating inside her soully for him screamed out and pleaded against it, hoping that those dreadful words would never make their debut, but now they came out and burned her.

She stuttered, forming her words sloppily, "I-I... W-well. I..." Suddenly an excuse came, so convincing that she almost believed it herself, "I don't want you to leave me. I-I couldn't... take it i-if you left me her b-by myself."

Sasuke frowned, pulling her closer to him. She leaned towards him, resting her face against his chest. He stroked his fingers through her hair and she whimpered.

"Silly girl. You'd come with me. Jugo and Suigetsu can protect you when I'm training and fulfilling my goals." Sasuke smiled slightly, resting his chin on the top of her head. Hinata was wary now. She didn't want to part with him, but she didn't want to go with him. To have him watch the soul that once thrived inside her die out, withering as the burning flame of a candle under the effects of an uneven paced wind, flickering violently till the end.

"Th-Thank you." Hinata mumbled. She knew Sasuke could barely hear her and she wanted it that way.

Hinata began to recall a time when she felt that the pieces of her soul were still bound together. She remembered how Sasuke's face lit up at the sight of the bento and how much pity they had been filled with later that night. Hinata wanted Sasuke to pull her soul together with the three words that had provoked Kiba's act. The three words that she had only dreamt about in her youth and up until that night when Kiba had first told her those words after leaving the prison where She and Sasuke had shared the picnic together.

Now Hinata was curled into the lap of her protector, expecting those three words but never receiving them. She smiled to herself, her world was her own right now and filled with the delightful Sasuke Uchiha. She longed to control this world and bend the words from her protector's lips.

Sasuke closed his eyes and she didn't dare to open hers. He was going to wait till she fell asleep in his arms and then carry her off to bed. He wouldn't leave her, just kiss her palms as her face contorted with emotion as she collided with the dreams that she couldn't remember. She would open her eyes after some time, blankly gazing at Sasuke's napping face. As soon as she would blink he would be awake as if he sensed her presence shifting.

She was broken. An object that someone had lifted off the curb due to pity. She was a miserable wreck who didn't deserve his kindness, laterally she wasn't going to let him ravage her. She didn't want the memory of Kiba to be wiped away. She hated Kiba but loved him too much to part with him. She knew that Sasuke would never advance on her, he had promised her that.

Sighing, she slid off of his lap realizing her sin. She had dangled herself in front of him. Sat on him as if she were ready to love him physically. He reacted by reaching out to her, grasping her arm just as she plopped unto the floor.

"I'm... sorry" She said helplessly as Sasuke gave her another concerned look.

"Tell me." His voice was dominating, "What gave you the right to leave me alone? I already said that I wouldn't leave you." She looked into his pleading eyes and let herself be pulled back unto his lap, confused by his words. Now, she thought, he was trying to mend me, seeing that the pieces of my soul were spread so far apart.

"I-I won't leave you." She stuttered, his arms wrapping around her waist.

He kissed the the back of her neck and she whined helplessly,

"Sasu-sasuke," This time a line of kisses went from the back of her neck to her shoulder blade. She squeaked as a mouse would.

Her lips trembled, "Sa-Sa... Sasu-" another line of kisses.

"Stop." She finally protested. The kisses stopped as she had commanded and the atmosphere became heavy.

She could tell he was annoyed. His grip became softer and then soon he wasn't gripping dropped his arms down to the side of the chair.

She couldn't turn to look at him so she just spoke, "I-I," She tried harder, "I-I- I'm no-not ready to ha-have s-se-sex!"

There was a long uncomfortable silence which left Hinata's cheeks inflamed. Then, after another long moment there came a chuckle. One single chuckle.

She didn't want to turn around to apologize for appearing as if she was attempting to seduce him. But then there came another laugh, something louder than a chuckle. The laugh multiplied into many laughs, causing her to shrink away from him with embarrassment.

The grip around her waist came back, shoving her around on his lap, and soon he was standing with her in his arms, carrying her as if she were a princess. She closed her eyes, growing to fear him.

Soon, she was falling. And then, her back was against the soft sheets of the bed. She cried out as she saw Sasuke's shirt falling to the floor.

He was smiling and he crawled unto the bed. She raised her arms to protest against him, but his lips met her hands. He whispered lustfully to her,

"Hinata Hyuuga, I want to caress you." Hinata gasped as he grasped her hand, sliding one of her dainty fingers into his mouth. She whimpered.

His eyes were determined.

"I-I'm not ready!" She pathetically inched away from him.

"I want you." Sasuke said, leaning over her, "Please don't make me wait to much longer."

Hinata's eyes flashed with guiltiness and she pulled away completely, avoiding his eyes.

He reached out, grasping her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes, "Don't you dare give up on me. You dare to think your lost. You think that you are alone." She gasped out as his eyes pierced her,

"Do you think that my reason for revenge didn't leave me as blank as you? Do you think that the only reason I treat you this way is because of sympathy or a whim?" He looked away, swearing under his breath before focusing his gaze upon her once more.

He crawled closer and she couldn't even manage to lift her arm to protest against his touch. He opened his mouth and she didn't know if he was attempting to kiss her or simply forming his words.

He continued to speak, providing an answer, "Hinata, my entire family was slaughtered by my elder brother." He cringed, "I came home late from school to find my mother and father's slain corpses. My brother spared me on a 'whim' and killed all of my clan on that same 'whim'. Don't think that I chose you on the same whim he used."

Her soul began to slide together. She wondered how she could ever love and fear him so much at the same time. She spoke, her voice trembling as mush a she was,

"I love you." She rethought her words, "But, not because of a whim."

Sasuke smiled at her, easing down so that he was laying on top of her, his head on her chest.

She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck. He sighed.

"I love you so much. I-I just didn't understand." Hinata said, her face turning a tomato red.

Sasuke shifted slightly, "Hinata. I can't say that I love you." her heart sank, "I always had loved my... brother, but then, my heart was broken. What I feel for you cannot be broken I could never hate you no matter what you do."

"Sasu-" he cut her off,

"You're like a gentle flower. A camellia. It is only natural to want to embrace you."

"I lo-love you, Sasuke."

"I want to embrace you, Hinata." The emptiness inside her withered. She didn't have to struggle to live as he had to all those years before. She had him to guild her and soon, she knew, she was going to embrace him and take away his worry and pain.

"I really do love you, Sasuke-Kun."

"I know, my Hinata-Chan."

She was empty and complete at the same time. she didn't understand such an immense feeling, but Sasuke didn't seemed concerned. She smiled, a single tear streamed down her face as she wished Kiba goodbye and accepted her lover's touch.

-Hello again and for some of us this is goodbye. I have a feeling Sasuke became too much of a passionate lover and fear that may influence the whole story's image. I hope you enjoyed the arrangement of personality and plot and wish you all the happiest of times and that you wait just a little while longer for the start of the next series. Again I ask for your wonderful comments and that you all bare with me, but this time with the art. Thank you so much for being so supportive and farewell till next you read! Thank you for being such wonderful readers~!-


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